New XCOM 2 DLC delivers robot friends, available now

Shen’s Last Gift, a new chunk of XCOM 2 DLClanded today. It kicks off when the commander and co. receive a transmission from an abandoned Advent research facility. You and Chief Engineer Shen investigate, take on a bunch of robots, and find a mech prototype—presumably her father’s “Last Gift”.

The mech prototype isn’t just a new character, but an entirely new soldier class with unique abilities. Gamespot’s hands-on with the DLC digs into what makes the mechs, called Sparks, different: “they're essentially hero units, with more health, maneuverability, and firepower than the normal human soldier. They're also taller and more noticeable targets for enemy Advent forces.”

So the mechs are harder, better, faster, and stronger than the average soldier, but they’re also unable to take cover. That said, they can function as cover for human units, which sounds like a fun way to deepen the pool of available strategic decisions without (as far as we know) breaking the established formula.

The DLC is priced at $10 on its own, but can also be purchased as part of the Reinforcement pack, which includes Anarchy’s Children and Alien Hunters too. It’s normally $20, but as part of the Steam Summer Sale, it’s a breezy $13.40.